Wrapping machine



Jan. 14, 1947.

E. S. WOLLETT WRAPPING MACHINE Filed March 22, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Jan. 14,` 1947.

E'. s. woLLETT f 2,414,282 WRAPPING MACHINE i 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 "I z' u@n J @ff 3mm y 2, 2 wesZ/) Wolle# 'll/fifi 4 Willi/[11112 Jan. i4, 1947.E. s. woLLETT WRPPING MACHINE Filed March 22, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan.14, 1947. E. s. woLLl-:TT WRAPPING MACH-INE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 'FilledMaren l22, 1945 Patented Jan. 14, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEWEAPPING MACHINE Ernest S. `Wollett, Washington, D. C.

Application. March 22, 1943, Serial No. 480,067

2 Claims.

The invention relates to wrapping machines and has as an object theprovision of a machine particularly adapted to the wrapping ofv flexibleobjects such as sandwiches.

The machine wrapping of sandwiches presents diiculties due to theflexibility of the article and to vthe fact that` the separate partsmust `not be dislocated. .These difficulties are increased where, as inthe instance ofthe'present machine, the wrapping is to be withCellophaneand .the wrapper is to be sealed by application of heat.

It is therefore `an object to provide a machine, upon the .feedingconveyor of Awhich prepared sandwiches may be laid by hand, which willso manipulate the sandwich and a Cellophane wrapping nas to enclose thesandwich and seal the wrapping substantially airtight, withoutdisplacing the parts of the sandwich.

Further objects of the invention will` appear from the accompanyingdrawings showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention, 'andwherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation showingthe sandwich carrieradvanced toward vwrapper-sealing position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine, showing the feed conveyor insection and with the delivery chute omitted;

Figures 3 Aand 4` are respectively sections through a sandwich wrappedby the machineof 1 the invention, sections taken at right angles to eachother;

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the :upper central portion of the'structure of Figure 1 drawn to an enlarged scale;` N

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of a portion of ithe structure of Figure`5; l

Fig. 7 is a detail plan view with the portions shown in Figure 6omitted;

Fig. 8 is a detail horizontal section on line 8-8 of Figure Fig. 9 is afront View to a still further enlarged scale, of the frontarticle-supporting member; and

Fig. 10 is a side view partly broken away, of the structure of Figure 9.

As stated above, the invention herein adapts an existing machine to thewrapping of sandwiches and the like. The drive mechanism including themotor, gearing cams and levers to the right in Figure 1 are the same asthose shown in patent to Hayssen No. 1,977,307, dated October 16, 1934,omitting the crank disc 45, link 46 and the intermittent conveyor drivethere shown.

To drive the endless conveyor II, chain I2 l driven from sprocket I3drives sprocket ,I4 Von shaft I5, the conveyor comprising chains I6, I1passing about sprockets I8, I9, to which chains are secured bars 2owhich push the articles 2| alongthe chute 22 between the guide channels23, 24.

The articles, asV sandwiches 2l, are fed to an elevator '25 which iscaused to elevate the same by lever 26acting through pin 21 on rod 28.The lever 25, fulcrumed at 29 is driven by cam 28" in timed relationwith the delivery of the articles.

In advance of veach upward movement of the elevator the wrappingmaterial feed device 30, Figure '7, which in itself is well known and incommon use, projects the wrapping material, as Cellophane, across thepath of upward'movement of the elevator. The said material is wideenough to provide `the closure laps 3|, 32, Figure 4, and the length'fed for each article will extend into contact with stop wires 33,Figures 1,- 5, and 7, which stops control movement of the flimsy material as it falls upon grille 33. l

vThis extent of material provides for the sealed endfclosures 34,`Figure3. In timed relation with, and just before .the upward movement of thesandwich into contactwith the Cellophanle, the latter issevered from theroll 35 by wellA known mechanism notshown. The wires 33 controlV thefall of the wrapper `upon the grille so that itwill be `squarewith thesandwich when raised by the elevator.

When .downward movementwoi the elevator 25 begins the sandwich :overlaidby the `Cellophane is supported and controlled fromV above, at opposite'edges and below, as follows: A plate 36 pivoted at.3'I 4on slide 38carries fingers 30 which overlie the Cellophane. and sandwich. The plate33 is held against a stop '4D by weak spring "4I, The plate 35 hasprojections 42 from its lower edge that provide support for the edge ofthe sandwich.

Opposing plate 36 is a plate 43 carried by an arm 44 pivoted at 45 upona tiltable member 4B pivoted at 4l on a standard 48 rising from slide38. Motion of member 46 about its pivot is caused by rollers carried ona pin 49 traveling in identical cam slots 50 formed in parallel wings 5Ifixed with the frame of the machine. The plate 43 has projections 52from its lower edge to underlie the edge of the sandwich and control itin its advancement. The projections 52 are shown as spaced apart, as arethe projections 42, to pass between the ridges on plate 6I along whichthe sandwiches slide to the sealing means, the ridges being provided tolessen friction.

To produce the under lap 3| of the wrapper and to support the sandwichduring its advancement to plate 53 upon which the sandwich slides to theheated sealing means, a plate 54 is reciprocated by link 55. The plate54 slides below the frame plate 56 which supports the wings 5| and isbolted to the frame at 51, 58. The lever 54 which drives the plate 59 istimed to move the plate as the elevator starts to recede from itshighest point. As the elevator lowers, the plate 54 is advanced so thatthe leading edge 62 thereof moves closely adjacent the slope 63 of theelevator carrying the wrapper with it.

The platev moves until the edge 62 closely approaches the plate 43,before the plates 36,43 begin to forward the sandwich. At this stage onemargin of the wrapper will be hanging downward from said edge 62 inclose proximity to its opposite edge hanging down from the edge of thesandwich gripped by projections 52 on plate 43. The slide 38 thenoperates to move the plates 36 and 43 toward the sealing means, theplate 54 moving also at the samespeed until its edge 62 approaches theplate 53 whereupon plate 54 stops and plates 36 and 43 continue to movethe sandwich along plate 53 with the ends of the wrapper betweenconverging guides 64, 85.

' Just previous to the arrival yof plate 36 at the position shown in-Figure 1, the form of slot 50 causes movement of arm 46 to raise theplate 43 so as to clear the sealing means. The sealing means comprisesspaced electrically heated presser shoes 66, 61 Aand a bottomelectrically heated plate 68.

As best shown in Figure 2 the shoes 66, 61 are carried by reciprocatingshafts 69, 10, urged to sealing position 'by compression springs 1|, 12,normally resisted by cranks 13 on shaft 14. At the proper time linkthrough crank 16 lowers the cranks 13 allowing the shoes to descend andseal the Wrapper ends, the plate 68 at the same time effecting thesealing of overlaps 3|, 32. The movement of the succeeding sandwich tothe sealing means pushes the wrapped and sealed one out to fall on thedelivery chute 11.

JustV prior to the portion of the cycle shown in Figure 5, the plates 36and 43 have arrived at their full line position shown in said gure butthe elevator has not yet reached its full upward position with thearticle. At this time the lever 59 approaches its rearmost position topull upon hook 18 androd 19 to move lever 89 about its pivot 8| againsttensile spring 82 to push on rod v83 whereby to swing arm 44 about itspivot 45 movement when spring 84 returns the arm 44 to full lineposition of Figure 5, returning the projection 85 to contact withadjustable stop 86.

The spacing of the plates 36 and 43 to the size of the sandwich isadjustable by said stop 89 and by moving the mount of plate 35 on capscrews 86' said mount being slotted as at 81 for the purpose.

-To enable plates 36 and 43 to move for adjustment to small variationsin size of sandwiches, plate 36 is urged by a delicate spring 4| againstits stop 48 and plate 43 by delicate spring 88 against a stop 89. Toallow plate 43 to swivel to compensate for out of square sandwiches, theportion 98,01 arm 44 is pivoted as at 9| on the main portion of the arm,a leaf spring 92 impinging against a flat surface of portion to keep theplate normally parallel with plate 36.

The operation of the machine will be clear fromY the above description.Y

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the inventionwithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit thereof. x

I claim:

' l. A wrapping machine comprising, inf combination: a slidable member;an arm pivote'd on said member; plates pivotally'carried Vby said memberand saidlarm respectivelyV in article spaced relation, for motion ofseparation of their lower edges about horizontal axes; pivot meansmounting one of said plates for rotation on an axis perpendicular tolitsrst named axis to accommodate an out of square article; lugs cai-, riedby the lower `edges of the respective plates to project under anarticlewhereby to support the same by its lower corners; means toV adjust thespacing of the lower edges of the Vvplatesto avoid compression ofdeformable articles; means to feed an article to said plates forsupport' on' said lugs with a wrapper covering thearticle at threesurfaces; means to fold jthe wrapper at a fourth side of the article;and subsequently acting means to permanently close the projectingunfolded ends of the wrapper. i

2. The combination of claim 1 with a iixed plate to which the partiallywrapped article is delivered; a pair of normally separated, sealingblocks, situated at each side ofisaidplate; at least one of'eachV pairof blocks provided with heating meansywith converging plates at eachside of said xed plates to guide'the projecting unfoldedl wrapper endstothe `space lbetween said blocks; and with means, acting in time withYfeed of articles, to press the wrapper endsi between said blocks toseal the same.

ERNEST sfwoiiLnrrg' Y

